dickeyLMF

//Learning Motivation and Fun//
 //View// the assignment page //for a more detailed explanation of this project.

In this exercise, you'll collect data from our database of interviews about fun and learning. Use this template and the data to create 5 generalizations for what you observed. Your generalizations should answer the questions//
 * //What makes learning fun and engaging?//
 * //What are the implications for your own teaching and design work//

3) High school students almost universally reported that physical activity was an element in the experiences they called "fun".//** //Bill W, for example described learning beginning archery skills at boy scout camp. Sallie Forth recalled a social studies class in which "we recreated in chicken wire and paper mache the battlefield at Shiloh and spent several class periods reconstructing the events there." All together there were 24 experiences that took place during high school years and all but 1 included physical activity. In most cases (19 out of 24) these activities also required creative or critical thinking.//
 * //Example:

What are your 5 generalizations?

 * 1.** **Adults considered a learning activity "fun" when they were engaged and interacting with the activity.** Heybison88 for example, described learning that was fun through his "involvement in the printing process" which would later become the functions he performed in his future career. For him, what made it most enjoyable was "to be doing and taking part and having the final product in one's hand." Justin67 explains having fun in an acting class because they "got to immediately apply what you were learning." Out of eighteen "career" descriptions viewed, seven of them described an activity being fun due to either applying what they had just learned, or through being engaged in the learning activity. In almost all of these descriptions (5 out of 18) the engaging behavior occurred while working with others in a group.


 * 2**. **Adults reported participating in interactive games, skits, and role plays created a fun learning environment.** One learner, Lennon61, reports how presenters in the break-out groups at a workshop made "lasting impressions" upon him because they "brought props or dressed in costumes." Jack124 describes a fun activity during a professional development training where his group pretended to be a fifth grade class. They learned about the American Revolution by playing a game of tug-a-war. Jack124 enjoyed this activity because it was "intriguing and really got you out of your seat an involved." Out of eighteen descriptions, six of them reported a learning activity as fun due to participating in skits, games, and role-plays.


 * 3. Adults described a learning activity as enjoyable because they were learning new information which directly applied to their work.** Christina80, a fitness instructor reported enjoying learning new things at a workshop that would help her teach new exercise moves in her class. Austin167, a boat captain, also described an enjoyable learning experience when he attended a class learning new boating skills. The aspect he enjoyed most about the class was the plotting. He knew how to "drive a boat, but didn't know how to do this old school way" in case the electronic equipment failed. Out of the eighteen descriptions viewed, seven of them reported learning new information which directly applied to their work made the learning activity more enjoyable.


 * 4. Adults reported a learning activity was fun when working in a group.** Christina80 reported another aspect that made the workshop fun was because "everyone was working together and having fun." Justin67 also reported an additional element of fun in his acting class was from "acting out with the instructor and others". Beatriz83 recalled a challenging but fun project when she was working on a team. She reported "the teamwork aspect of it made it really fun". She particularly enjoyed that "there were celebrations on accomplishments of the team." Lisa51 enjoyed an all day customer service training class because they "got to work in group projects and see how they would implement things." Out of the eighteen viewed videos about careers, six of them reported working in groups to be one aspect that made the learning event enjoyable. Being in groups allowed them to "implement things" that were recently presented; and made the experience fun because all the group members were enjoying themselves.


 * 5. Another aspect that helps make an enjoyable learning activity is an element of challenge.** For example, Beatriz83 reported "it was exciting to learn because it was challenging because there was a lot of information she had to learn about quickly...and it was critical to the company to get this done..." James186 described how he and another co-worker had to look up information in a database. He said it was a "fun experience to figure out how to find the data" and because it involved "problem solving." Shawn117 enjoyed a game he participated in for his career because "it was an intensely stimulating game that challenged him physically, emotionally, and mentally." Out of the eighteen viewed videos about careers, four of them reported a learning activity to be more enjoyable because there was an element of challenge. All but one of these seemed to be talking about a mental challenge rather than physical or emotional challenge.

__Implications for your own teaching and design work:__

The above reported generalizations have helped me to reflect upon my own past teaching and learning experiences, and for my future design work. I can understand how learning needs to involve an element of engagement and interaction on some level. Engagement could mean being physically engaged in a process such as was described by Heybison88. For him it was being actively engaged in the printing process. Discussion alone for such a process would not "sink in" with the learner. There has to be some engagement to motivate the learner as well as help them retain the information. I can remember how some college professors would drone on and on in their class. They would not even ask students to bring forth questions. I can remember other professors who would make the class get into groups and discuss what was just taught. This made things more enjoyable and also seemed to take the pressure of being in the spotlight for some students. I think we learn when we can talk about and ask questions related to the content just presented.

Because learning something new seems to be important, I can see how crucial it is to conduct the initial audience analysis when designing instruction to find out what the learners already know, and what they need to know that would directly apply to the workplace. Otherwise the instruction might be too far over the learner's heads, contain too much information they already know, or even contain too much information that does not directly apply to their workplace. I have also learned how important it is when teaching a class or having a group workshop to include games, skits, and role plays.

From observing these videos, I have obtained useful insights into what makes learning fun that can be put to good use when I design instructional content in the near future.